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https://github.com/ralphhightower/ralphhightower

Ralph Hightower's GitHub / Web Site
https://github.com/ralphhightower/ralphhightower

config csharp digital-photography dotnet dslr-camera film-photography linux photography slr-camera software-architecture software-design software-development software-engineering solaris south-carolina university-of-south-carolina unix windows

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Ralph Hightower's GitHub / Web Site

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README 

        
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layout: base

#title: Ralph Hightower – Main Website

#permalink: /

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# Ralph Hightower's Website



Hi, I’m @RalphHightower.



As an INTP on the Myers-Briggs Personality Assessment, my career in software development was a natural match; I have enjoyed computer programming and software development since my introduction to computer programming in my first engineering class at the University of South Carolina College of Engineering. Our class chose to use the department's Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) PDP-8 minicomputer programming in FOCAL (similar to Dartmouth BASIC). In the next class, we learned to program using the PDP-8 assembly language; which provided the basis for learning other computers instruction sets: Intel 8080/8085, DEC PDP-8 and PDP-11, Motorola 68000, and IBM 360/370. Computer high-level languages: C, C++, C# & .Net, Fortran IV, Java, PL/1, SNOBOL, Algol, Pascal, Visual Basic, Dartmouth BASIC, APL, and Delphi. Operating Systems: Windows, Unix, and Linux. Web markup languages: HTML, JavaScript, and XML.



One large scale Windows application that I developed using C# and .Net for my personal use read the NASA mission schedules for the Space Shuttle missions that they published as Excel spreadsheets and created events in the calendar of Microsoft Outlook using Microsoft Visual Studio Tools for Office. I thought that others would be interested in using the application also, so I published the installation executable with the source code on Microsoft’s now decommissioned source code publishing site, Codeplex; I migrated it over to GitHub although support of the application officially ended with wheelstop of Atlantis on mission STS-135 with the Final Four, CDR Chris Ferguson, PLT Doug Hurley, MS1 Sandy Magnus, and MS2 Rex Walheim. On July 8, 2011, I was able to check off a 30 year old bucket list item: witness a Space Shuttle launch in person. I also had the opportunity that few people have seen; I, as well as forty-nine other people by the Shuttle Landing Facility Control Tower, got to see Atlantis land for the final time on July 21. I have witnessed two final manned spaceflights in person, Atlantis and the US half of Apollo/Soyuz Test Project on July 15, 1975. Atlantis was the second final manned spaceflight that I witnessed in person.



Photography is another creative endeavor that I have enjoyed almost as long as I've used computers. My first 35mm SLR was and still own and use is the Canon A-1, an innovative camera in 1980; I added a few accessories, and a few lenses. July 2013, I added one of my “bucket list” cameras, a Canon F-1N with the AE Finder FN, AE Motor Drive FN. December 2013added digital to the mix with the Canon 5D Mark III, Canon EF 24-105mm f4L, 600 RT II.



## About me



|  Test/Website | Result |

|---|---|

| [Top Gun Call Sign](http://www.topgunday.com/call-sign-generator/) | Lt. Ralph 'Tahoe' Hightower[^11] |

| [Myers-Briggs Personality Test®](https://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/) | [INTP](https://www.mbtionline.com/en-US/MBTI-Types/INTP)[^12] |

| [CliftonStrength 34™](https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/253868/popular-cliftonstrengths-assessment-products.aspx) | Ideation \| Deliberative \| Learner \| Input \| Strategic
Leaders with great Strategic Thinking strengths are the ones who keep us all focused on what could be. They are constantly absorbing and analyzing information and helping the team make better decisions. People with strength in this domain continually stretch our thinking for the future. |

| [Game of Thrones Personality Test](https://mygotcharacter.com/)[^13] | Primary Character: [Mance Rayder](https://mygotcharacter.com/EKJKKKCKIACFCK.html)[^14]
Secondary Character:  [Ser Jaime Lannister](https://mygotcharacter.com/EKJKKKCKIACFCK.html)[^15]
Tertiary Character: [Ygritte](https://mygotcharacter.com/EKJKKKCKIACFCK.html)[^16] |

| [Microsoft Copilot Personality Test](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/how-do-you-ai ) | The Storyteller
You love to spin a great yarn and are probably guilty of talking a colleague’s ear off on more than one occasion. You might see generative AI as a way to amp up your storytelling or sales pitches, in the form of persuasive emails or pitch decks. It’s possible you’re already using it to brainstorm presentation titles, taglines, or product names. Great!

You’ll get even more value out of generative AI if you expand your toolkit beyond creation and into some more nitty-gritty tasks. Copilot can summarize meetings, catch you up on your inbox, and uncover hidden information in an Excel spreadsheet. It can even fix all the mismatching fonts on your presentation. You can also use Copilot for Microsoft 365 to dig through all your emails, documents, messages, and meeting transcripts and track down the numbers you need in just a few seconds. That helps you fact-check yourself on the fly—especially useful if you (like many storytellers!) have a tendency to get carried away. |



[^11]: I'm a [Chevy](https://www.chevrolet.com/) guy and Tahoe is a model name. I love it!

[^12]: People with INTP preferences are quiet, thoughtful, and analytical. They tend to put a great deal of consideration into everything they do. INTPs are generally easygoing and genuine. They might seem to “zone out” from time to time while they consider new concepts or explore how something works. They are often happiest laying low and working hard behind the scenes. While they may seem impersonal with people they don’t know well, they like to have a close group of people they open up to. They are naturally adept at building structural models or coming up with new concepts for solving problems. They tend to see the world as a system that can be analyzed, and this is how they approach just about everything in life.
• 4.8% of the population • 5.8% of men • 4.0% of women
 analytical × conceptual × logical 
 quiet × independent × easygoing 
 complex × driven × curious 
 questioning × methodical × values competence 
 self-critical × thoughtful × innovative 
 problem solver × reflective × autonomous 

[^13]: I had to Google the GOT Personality Test. Oh, I don't subscribe to HBO, so all I know of Game of Thrones is that's it's sorta like King Arthur set in medieval times.
I took the GOT Personality Test. I saw that reference in a LinkedIn news article about using personality tests to get the right balance of different personalities. I think using a personality test to determine employment is a form of discrimination and I use that rather strictly because there's race discrimination and gender discrimination.

[^14]: Primary Character: Mance Rayder 
Nickname: King Beyond the Wall
Traits: Inspiring, Formidable, Pioneer
Your primary character is Mance Rayder. You are a charismatic, calm, and determined man with strong leadership qualities. You tend to rise quickly through the ranks of any organization you enter. You have good social and diplomatic skills, allowing you to collaborate with many different types of people. You have an honest yet stern persona which earns you respect and admiration of those around you. You are very trusting which can be your greatest weakness. You value freedom above all else.

[^15]: Secondary Character: Ser Jaime Lannister
Nickname: The Kingslayer
Traits: Arrogant, Sarcastic, Apathetic
Your secondary character is Ser Jaime Lannister. You are charming and capable of impeccable politeness in the right circumstances. In the wrong circumstances, others perceive you to be disdainful, sarcastic and arrogant. However your arrogance may just be confidence, as you excel in a number of areas, including intelligence. You don't mock others over minor failings but you are usually very blunt. You typically just say what you are thinking without regard to the feelings of those that you perceive as incompetent. You regard ruthlessness as a virtue and behave in an unapologetically amoral way. You're not politically ambitious and sly maneuvering is not your way.

[^16]: Tertiary Character: Ygritte
Nickname: Ygritte
Traits: Wild, Uncoventional, Determined
Your tertiary character is Ygritte. You are brave and unconventional. You have a mind of your own and prefer not to conform with the demands of societu're cunning and value freedom above all else. You're loyal, but also very passionate and you follow to your heart much more than your head. You live a very fulfilled life, chasing your dreams but this sometimes causes others to mistrust you although you have little enmity in your heart.



## Various Places Where I May Be



| Content | Website |

|---------|---------|

| CodeProject | [RalphHightower](https://www.codeproject.com/Members/RalphHightower) |

| Facebook | [RalphHightower](https://www.facebook.com/ralph.hightower/) (I spend more time on LinkedIn than I do on Facebook.) |

| GitHub | **[RalphHightower (Ralph Hightower\)](https://github.com/RalphHightower)** |

| GitLab | [RalphHightower](https://gitlab.com/RalphHightower) |

| GitLab | [Permanent Vacations](https://gitlab.com/permanent-vacations) |

| Google Dev | [RalphHightower](https://g.dev/RalphHightower) |

| Gravatar | [RalphHightower](http://gravatar.com/ralphhightower) |

| Hackster.io | [ralph-hightower](https://www.hackster.io/ralph-hightower) |

| IEEE Collabratec | [RalphHightower](https://ieee-collabratec.ieee.org/app/p/RalphHightower) |

| LinkedIn Profile | **[RalphHightower](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralphhightower/)** (LinkedIn is where I spend the majority of my time.) |

| Photography Portfolio \(Flickr\) | **[RalphHightower](https://www.flickr.com/photos/ralphhightower/)** |

| Stack Overflow | [ralph-hightower](https://stackoverflow.com/users/19978043/ralph-hightower) |

| Twitter | ~~[RalphHightower](https://twitter.com/RalphHightower)~~[^21] |

| YouTube | [@RalphHightower](https://youtube.com/user/@RalphHightower) |



[^21]: As of April 27, 2023, I deactivated my Twitter account based on this Elon Musk tweet:
[@ElonMusk](https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1651602599345373186): *Anyone making materially false statements on this platform will get Community Noted, including you, me, Tucker, advertisers, head of state, etc. No exceptions. 
Convince the people and let the chips fall where they may.* 
@RalphHightower: Seriously? Yet you welcomed back a pathological liar, Donald Trump, who incited and welcomed violence in an attempted coup d'état on January 6 in the storming of the U.S. Capitol. Twitter has gone to ***HELL!***



## Bucket Lists



I, along with a few other coworkers, were huddled around a portable B&W TV on April 12, 1981 to watch NASA's Space Shuttle Columbia make her maiden voyage. It was then that I, as a 20-something, put seeing a Space Shuttle launch in person on my bucket list. After that was checked ✔️ off, I thought "What's next?", so I added more items.



I also have different categories of bucket lists. 



1.	Before I Die

   - ✓ Space Shuttle Photos: [Launch July 8, 2011](https://www.flickr.com/gp/ralphhightower/1X648s6j8W)[^81]. Photos: [Landing July 21, 2011](https://www.flickr.com/gp/ralphhightower/4Tu9tK0K9Y)[^82].

   - ✓ [The Masters Golf Tournament](https://www.masters.com/)[^83] Photos: [Practice Round: Wednesday April 4, 2015](https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzH9EK).

   - ~~[Arecibo Observatory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arecibo_Observatory?wprov=sfla1 )~~[^84]

   - ✓ Total Solar Eclipse: August 17, 2017 — Chapin, South Carolina, United States of America

   - Slot Canyon (color & B&W photographs)

   - Aurora Borealis

   - Total Solar Eclipse: April 8, 2024

   - [B&H Photo Video, 420 9th Avenue, New York, NY 10001](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/find/jsp/HelpCenter/StoreInfo.jsp#nycSuperstore )

   - [ManhattanHenge — New York City, New York](https://www.amnh.org/research/hayden-planetarium/manhattanhenge)

   - [CERN — Conseil européen pour la Recherche nucléaire / European Organization for Nuclear Researce, France/Switzerland](https://home.cern/ )

   - [Very Large Array – National Radio Astronomy Observatory](https://public.nrao.edu/visit/very-large-array/ ) Two hour drive from Albuquerque, 50 miles west of Socorro, New Mexico

   - [Indianapolis 500](https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/events/indy500 )

   - [Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park *(Ayers Rock)*, Northern Territory, Australia](https://parksaustralia.gov.au/uluru/ )

   - [Stonehenge / English Heritage](https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/? )

   - Hawaii

   - Japan (primarily Tokyo)

   - [Capturing Yosemite's gorgeous — and elusive — natural 'firefall' : NPR](https://www.npr.org/2024/03/04/1235163963/yosemite-el-capitan-firefall-photography )

2.	Cars

   - Corvette (mid-engine)[^85]

   - El Camino (65-67)[^86]

   - Mustang (64-67)[^87]

   - HHR (2009-2011)[^88]

   - 55 Chevy Stepside pickup[^89]

3.	Cameras

   - ✓ [Canon New F-1](https://global.canon/en/c-museum/product/film105.html) (July 2013, with AE Motor Drive FN, AE Finder FN)[^90]

   - Mamiya 645

   - Mamiya RB67 or RZ 67

   - 4×5 monorail view camera

4.	Computers

   - DEC VAX11-780[^91]

   - DEC PDP-11/70[^92] or PDP-11/45[^92]

   - Cray 1[^93]

   - Cray 2[^93]

   - DEC PDP-8[^94]

5.	Space Shuttles

   - ✓ Atlantis at [Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex](https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/explore-attractions/shuttle-a-ship-like-no-other). Photos: [November 2016](https://www.flickr.com/gp/ralphhightower/91v712Z0Bu)

   - ✓ Discovery at [Smithsonian Air Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center](https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/orbiter-space-shuttle-ov-103-discovery/nasm_A20120325000). Photos: [August 2012](https://www.flickr.com/gp/ralphhightower/PM1WzGo506)

   - Endeavour at [California Science Center](https://californiasciencecenter.org/exhibits/endeavour-experience)[^95][^96][^97]



[^81]: From April 12, 1981, when I saw Space Shuttle Columbia make her maiden voyage, I said to myself, "I gotta see a launch in person!"

[^82]: This was totally unexpected, getting an invitation to see Space Shuttle Atlantis land in person next to to control tower for the Shuttle Landing Facility, just 200 yards from the runway. Atlantis landed in the pre-dawn hour.

[^83]: After checking off the only item on my 30 year old bucket list, I thought "What's next?" Okay, what about The Masters? The first time in the ticket lottery in 2014,I got the opportunity to buy tickets. I chose a practice round day, Monday, so I could bring my camera. During tournament days, only the news media is allowed cameras. Unfortunately, as we were driving to Augusta on I-20, it was raining and got so bad with lightning that Augusta National had to cancel Monday's practice. Augusta National guaranteed that everyone that bought 2014 tickets could buy tickets for 2015. We chose a Wednesday for the reason of bringing my own cameras. I brought my Canon New F-1 with the FD 28mm f2.8 loaded with Fuji slide film for the scenics, and Mt Canon EOS 5D III with the EF 100-400mm f4-5.6L (rented) for the action. Augusta National does not have any lens length restrictions, but PGA events has a rule that no lenses can be longer than six inches. Check the course event's web page for any restrictions. 

[^84]: Two cable breaks, one in August 2020 and a second in November 2020, threatened the structural integrity of the support structure for the suspended platform and damaged the dish. The NSF determined in November 2020 that it was safer to decommission the telescope rather than to try to repair it, but the telescope collapsed before a controlled demolition could be carried out. The remaining support cables from one tower failed around 7:56 a.m. local time on December 1, 2020, causing the receiver platform to fall into the dish and collapsing the telescope.

[^85]: As a teenager, unaware of bucket lists, I have coveted the [Chevy](https://www.chevrolet.com/) [Corvette](https://www.chevrolet.com/performance/corvette) ever since 1968, when the Corvette got its current styling; so, technically, the Corvette could be considered my firt bucket list item. Sure, the body styles have changed, but the basic bones, that signature look, has had small variations. 

[^86]: This was the third car in high school. I drove this through college. It had an I-6 with a three speed manual transmission. Later while I was at [NCR](https://www.ncr.com/) E&M-Columbia, I bought a 1965 that had a V-8 and three speed manual. We have also owned newer models.

[^87]: This was my second car in high school. It had an I-6 with a four speed manual transmission. I don't remember why it was replaced, but it wasn't wrecked. 

[^88]: Paula totaled mine 2023-01-26. Damn it! I loved the retro styling and with the rear seats down, it had enough cargo capacity for our household of two and two Beagles. We took a week-long trip to Florida with three Beagles. We had to "tetris-pack", but it worked. 

[^89]:  This was my first car as teen driver. It had an I-6 and a 3 speed manual transmission.

[^90]: July 2013, my wife and I were traveling back home from Charleston, South Carolina. I mentioned to her *"[KEH](https://www.keh.com/) has a [Canon](https://www.usa.canon.com/) [New F-1](https://global.canon/en/c-museum/product/film105.html) with the AE Motor Drive FN and AE Finder FN for sale."* She asked *"Is that their flagship camera?"* I answered *"Yes, for the 80's."* She said *"Buy it."*

[^91]: I love the instruction set of this magnificent beast of a computer. 

[^92]: It's gotta have the blinking console lights and console switches.

[^93]: Cray Computers can, besides a supercomputer, be considered works of art.

[^94]: First experience programming computers 

[^95]: Once she has external tank and dummy solid rocket boosters attached, displayed upright as if ready for launch.

[^96]:;2023-11-08 [Second rocket booster lifted into place for space shuttle Endeavour L.A. exhibit / collectSPACE](http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-110823a-space-shuttle-endeavour-exhibit-srm-lift-complete.html )

[^97]: 2023-12-05 [Nose cones top off work to stand-up solid rocket boosters for Endeavour exhibit / collectSPACE](http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-120523a-space-shuttle-endeavour-exhibit-srbs-stacked.html )



## Dewar's Profile



| Dewar's Profile |

|----|

| RALPH HIGHTOWER |

| PROFESSION: Software Developer |

| HOBBY: Photography, water-skiing |

| BUCKET LIST ACCOMPLISHMENT: Checked off 30 year old bucket list item (Witnessed final Space Shuttle launch and landing) |

| QUOTE: Freedom from Consequences is not a protected Constitutional right. |

| LAST BOOK READ: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig (several times) |

| MOST AMAZING EXPERIENCE: Total Solar Eclipse, Augusta 21, 2017, Chapin, South Carolina |

| CARS I WISH I KEPT: 1966 Chevrolet El Camino, 1966 Ford Mustang |

| BUCKET LIST CAMERAS: Canon New F-1 (July 2013), Mamiya 645, Mamiya RB67 or RZ67, 4×5 Monorail View Camera


| BUCKET LIST CAR: Chevrolet Corvette |

| CAMERA BRAND: Canon |

| FAVORITE (BEST) DOG BREED: Beagle |

| FAVORITE NON-FICTION BOOK: Soul of a New Machine by Tracy Kidder |

| FAVORITE SCIENCE FICTION: Dune Trilogy by Frank Herbert |

| FAVORITE TECHNICAL BOOK: The Mythical Man-Month by Frederick Brooks |

| FAVORITE TECHNICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA: The Art of Computer Programming by Donald Knuth |

| FAVORITE MOVIE: Dune (2021) |

| FAVORITE TELEVISION SERIES: Star Trek (The Original Series, Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Enterprise, Discovery, Picard, Strange New Worlds) |

| BEST COVER SONG: [American Pie by Greenwood, South Carolina musicians](https://youtu.be/wmIB-WbZi6I) with blessings by Don McClain |

| BEST PARODY: American Pie  [The Saga Begins by Weird Al Yankovic](https://youtu.be/hEcjgJSqSRU) |

| BEST MUSIC VIDEO: [Learning to Fly by Pink Floyd](https://youtu.be/nVhNCTH8pDs) |

| FAVORITE ALBUM: Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs by Derek and the Dominos |

| GOAT ALTO SAX: [Candy Dulfer](https://youtube.com/channel/UCv_ecDLtmmc-Y_sTW1ZVzgw) |

| GOAT TENOR SAX: Clarence Clemmons |

| GOAT DRUMMER: [Sena Doering](https://youtube.com/c/sinadrumming) |

| MOST VERSATILE BAND: [Dire Straits](https://youtube.com/channel/UC9HKX4sDEYdgDEQTV9iy9yw) |

| WHY I DO WHAT I DO: Software development involves creativity |

| PROFILE: INTP (Myers-Briggs: Introvert, iNtuitive, Thinking, Perceptive) |

| HIS BEER: River Rat Broad River Red Ale, Palmetto Expresso |



## Interests 



As an INTP on the Myers-Briggs Personality Assessment, my career in software development was a natural match; I have enjoyed computer programming and software development since my introduction to computer programming in my first engineering class at the University of South Carolina College of Engineering. Our class chose to use the department's Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) PDP-8 minicomputer programming in FOCAL (similar to Dartmouth BASIC). In the next class, we learned to program using the PDP-8 assembly language; which provided the basis for learning other computers instruction sets: Intel 8080/8085, DEC PDP-8 and PDP-11, Motorola 68000, and IBM 360/370. Computer high-level languages: C, C++, C# & .Net, Fortran IV, Java, PL/1, SNOBOL, Algol, Pascal, Visual Basic, Dartmouth BASIC, APL, and Delphi. Operating Systems: Windows, Unix, and Linux. Web markup languages: HTML, JavaScript, and XML.



### Photography 



Photography is another creative endeavor that I have enjoyed almost as long as I've used computers. My first 35mm SLR is the Canon A-1, which I still own and use is the Canon A-1, an innovative camera in 1980 with its shutter priority, aperture priority, program, stoped-down metering, and manual control; I added a few accessories, and a few lenses. I added digital to the mix with the Canon 5D Mark III and the Canon EF 24-105mm f4L.



My Y2K12 project: Photograph the year exclusively using B&W film. I rediscovered the classic look of B&W film when I photographed the final Space Shuttle landing. Since it was a pre-dawn landing, color would have been wasted. For that year, I had two photography projects:

1) Photograph the sunrise over Columbia, South Carolina from the Lake Murray dam on the equinoxes and solstices;

2) Photograph the full moon rising and setting (started in February and carried over to January).



#### Camera equipment



| Gear | Lenses, Accessories |

|------|-------------|

| Canon A-1 (FD Mount) | Motor Drive MA | 

|| Sunpak 522 Flash |

| Canon New F-1 (FD Mount) | Canon AE Motor Drive FN |

|| Canon AE Finder FN |

|| center-weighted split-image/microprism metering screen |

|| partial split-image/microprism metering screen |

|| spot split-image/microprism metering screen |

| FD Mount Lenses | Canon FD 28mm f2.8 |

|| Canon Auto Bellows |

|| Canon Macro Photo Lens 20mm f/3.5 |

|| Canon Macro Photo Lens 35mm f2.0 |

|| Canon FD 50mm f1.8 (2) |

|| Profoto 80-205mm f4.5 |

|| Spiratone 400mm f6.3 |

| Canon EOS 5D Mark III | Canon RT 600 II flash |

| EF Mount Lenses | Canon EF 24-105mm f4L |

|| Mitakon Zhongyi 20mm f/2 4.5x Super Macro Lens |

|| Canon GPS Receiver GP-E2 |

| PlusTek OpticFilm 8200i Ai film scanner | 35mm negative film carriers (2) |

|| 35mm slide film carriers (2) |



| Bucket List Cameras | Status |

|-----------|--------|

| Canon New F-1, Canon AE Motor Drive FN, Canon AE Finder FN | July  2013 |

| Mamiya 645||

| Mamiya RB67 or RZ67||

| 4×5 monorail view camera ||



#### [Camera Manuals, Software, Firmware: Updates/References](Photography/CanonFirmwareSoftware.md)



#### Preferred Photography Retailers 



| Company | Location | About |

|---------|----------|-------|

| [KEH](https://www.keh.com/)[^61] | Georgia, Smyrna | KEH is the original reseller of professional, collectible, and everyday gear for camera lovers everywhere. |

| [B&H Photo/Video](https://www.bhphotovidphotograph/)[^62] | New York, New York City | Photography, Computers, TV & Entertainment, Professional Video, Mobile, Pro Audio, Photo Accessories, Drones & Camcorders, Lighting, Audio-Visual, Surveillance, Optics  |

| [Lensrentals.com](https://www.lensrentals.com/)[^63] | Tennessee, Cordova | Lensrentals is the largest online rental provider for photography, videography, and lighting equipment and accessories in the United States |



[^61]: Information supplied from [KEH website https:www.keh.com](https://www.keh.com)

[^62]: Information supplied from [B&H Photo/Video https://www.bhphotovideo.com](https://www.bhphotovideo.com) 

[^63]: Information supplied from [Lensrentals.com https://www.lensrentals.com](https://www.lensrentals.com) 



### Software Development



In between my employment at NCR E&M-Columbia and SC DHEC, I had a brief tour of duty at Policy Management System (Stock Symbol: PMS). This was during the time when they were fined by the Securities and Exchange Commission because its executive and senior management booked revenue on December 32nd. I have also worked for a few DOT-COM'S 🎆 that became DOT-BOMB'S 💣 .



- Affinity Technology Group (Stock Symbol: AFFI)

- HealthMagic

- Global Health Technology (bought by CBSI aka Covansys)



As a Software Developer at the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, I developed web applications using C# and .Net using Microsoft Visual Studio and Microsoft SQL Server and IBM DB/2 databases. I have also written Windows services to monitor the health of web applications, their associated databases, SSL certificate expiration and network connectivity to alert the appropriate teams.

Besides developing Windows services to monitor web applications and their associated databases, I have developed services to extract data for SFTP file exports on a monthly basis, update SCSERV hospitals and clinics in Microsoft SQL Server with reference data from the EFIS Oracle database.



One large scale Windows application that I developed using C# and .Net for my personal use read the NASA mission schedules for the Space Shuttle missions that they published as Excel spreadsheets and created events in the calendar of Microsoft Outlook using Microsoft Visual Studio Tools for Office. I thought that others would be interested in using the application also, so I published the installation executable with the source code on  Microsoft’s now decommissioned source code publishing site, Codeplex; I migrated it over to GitHub although support of the application officially ended with wheelstop of Atlantis on mission STS-135 with the Final Four, CDR Chris Ferguson, PLT Doug Hurley, MS1 Sandy Magnus, and MS2 Rex Walheim. 



### NASA Spaceflight 



On [July 8, 2011, I was able to check off a 30 year old bucket list item: witness a Space Shuttle launch in person.](https://flic.kr/s/aHsjvNsNvU). I also had the opportunity that few people have seen; I, as well as forty-nine other people by the Shuttle Landing Facility Control Tower, [got to see Atlantis land for the final time on July 21, 2011](https://flic.kr/s/aHsjvNti8h). I have witnessed two final manned spaceflights in person, Atlantis and the US half of Apollo/Soyuz Test Project on July 15, 1975. Atlantis was the second final manned spaceflight that I witnessed in person.



Watching the Space Shuttle land on television, the twin sonic booms sound like a muffled *boom.boom.* In person, the twin sonic booms that Space Shuttles announce that they are returning home is loud, sharp, and crisp: **BANG! BANG!**



### NASA Spaceflight Replicas



[CONCORD AEROSPACE / FULLY OPERABLE SPACECRAFT PANELS – Concord Aerospace](https://www.concordaerospace.com/ ) 



### NASA Space Patches / Emblems 



[Tim Gagnon — kscartist](https://www.kscartist.com/?page=section/patches.html )



## Personal Projects 



Now that I am retired, I am getting into the Arduino, Raspberry Pi(π), and RISC-V ecosystem.



| Status | Project |

|----|-----|

|| [Hardware Suppliers for Projects](Hardware/HardwareLinks.md) |

| Research | Develop Arduino system that detects gasoline pumps and ATMs that criminals have broken into to steal credit card information. |

| In Progress | |

| Completed | 



## Publications 



| Articles/BugFixes | Date | Publication |

|---------|------|-------------|

| [Win NT reports Access Violation in mod_info.c](http://archive.apache.org/gnats/4623)| 1999-06-22 | Apache (web server) |

| [NASA Space Shuttle TV Schedule Transfer to Outlook Calendar](https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/21847/NASA-Space-Shuttle-TV-Schedule-Transfer-to-Outlook)[^31] | 2008-12-01 | CodeProject |



[^31]: Support of SpaceShuttleMissionSchedule ended with wheelstop of Space Shuttle Atlantis on July 21, 2011 with the retirement of the Space Shuttle fleet.



## Authored Websites, Software Applications 



| Web Site | Description |

|------------|-------------|

| [Ralph Hightower/Blog](https://ralphhightower.github.io/blog/) | My personal blog; currently anti-Trump. Hopefully, *"The Apprentice: White House"* won't get renewed. |

| [Azure-Resources](https://ralphhightower.github.io/Azure-Resources/) | List of helpful Azure resources |

| [EOL-RalphHightower](https://ralphhightower.github.io/EOL-RalphHightower/) | End Of Life Instructions for wife and executor |

| [GM-Canada-Onstar-2G-Sunset](https://ralphhightower.github.io/GM-Canada-OnStar-2G-Sunset/) | GM-Canada's solution to retain OnStar functionality with Canada's sunseting of cellular 2G CDMA technology in 2015  |

| [RalphHightower](https://ralphhightower.github.io/RalphHightower/) | Ralph Hightower's top level repository |

| [Jekyll Test Bed](https://ralphhightower.github.io/JekyllTestBed/ ) | Test Bed for Experimentation with Jekyll. |

| [SpaceShuttleMissionSchedule](https://ralphhightower.github.io/SpaceShuttleMissionSchedule/) | Creates events in Microsoft Outlook's Calendar from NASA's Space Shuttle missions schedules that they published in Microsoft Excel[^31] |

| [Sushi Recipes / Checklist for Trying Sushi, Sashimi from Sushi Restaurants](https://ralphhightower.github.io/Sushi/ ) | A place for sushi recipes and checklists for checking off menu items. |

| [RalphHightower/minimaUSCGamecockSandstorm](https://github.com/RalphHightower/minimaUSCGamecockSandstorm ) | USC Gamecock Sandstorm theme derived from Jekyll/minima, a one-size-fits-all Jekyll theme for USC Gamecock writers. **[Production Ready]** |



## Obsolete Computer Collection 



My wife bought me a Sun SparcStation IPX at a company salvage sale so I  could keep my UNIX skills active. I had Apache Web Server with OpenSSL installed from source code, and OpenLDAP also installed from source code using gcc.

I installed Apache web server installed on my Windows NT Workstation as a proxy server so the SparcStation and Linux server could share internet access, first using dial-up and later with cable.



A technology company had shut down and one of the Affinity Technology Group former coworkers rescued a DEC VAXStation II/GPX from being trashed. He was moving from South Carolina to Washington (home of Microsoft) and he was going to toss it in the dumpster. He asked if I wanted it. "Sure!" That is a heavy sucka!



| Computers | Peripherals, Books |

|-----------|-------------|

| [DEC (Digital Equipment Corporation) VAXStation II/GPX](https://flic.kr/p/acYeze) |

|| DEC VAX 11/780 Architecture Manuals Volumes 1-3 (2) |

| [Sun 3/110](https://flic.kr/p/acYvDi) ||

| [Sun SparcStation IPX](https://flic.kr/p/acYrMa)[^51] ||

|| Sun 31 inch CRT (Cathode Ray Tube)[^51] |

|| Sun CD-ROM Drive[^51] |

|| Sun Tape Drive[^51] |

|| SCSI Drive Cabinet[^52] (3 SCSI drives)[^53]) |



[^51]: My wife bought me a Sun SparcStation system at a company salvage sale in 1995 so I could keep my UNIX skills active and up to date.

[^52]: I bought a three bay SCSI  Drive Cabinet to expand my storage capacity. 

[^53]: I bought SCSI hard disk drives from my fellow, former [NCR](https://www.ncr.com/) E&M-Columbia coworkers and lifelong friends. 



| VAXStation II/GPX BSD Operating Systems |

|-------|

| [OpenBSD — VAXStation](https://www.openbsd.org/) |

| [NET BSD](https://www.netbsd.org/) |

| [DEC Alpha YouTube video](https://youtu.be/RAxomG) |

| [DEC and the PDP-11 YouTube video](https://youtu.be/bQUeMyAMQwo) |



| Various Computer Books 📚 |

|----------------------------|

| Art of Computer Science (3 volume set) by Donald Knuth |

| DEC VAX 11/780 Architecture Manuals Volumes 1-3 (2) |

| DEC PDP-8 Handbook |

| DEC PDP-11 Handbook |

| LSI 11 (PDP-11/03) Handbook |

| DEC PDP-11/45 Handbook |

| DEC PDP-11/70 Handbook |



## HP (Hewlett-Packard) Calculators[^41]



[^41]: HP said in their print advertisements *"HP has no equal."*
What can I say? I've been a big fan of HP Calculators ever since they introduced the HP-35. I finally managed to buy an HP-45. I use the Reverse Polish Notation (RPN). I cannot use an algebraic calculator. I bought my wife an HP-16C in 1988 since I couldn't use her algebraic calculator to balance our checkbook. The HP-16C still works to this day. 



[The Museum of HP Calculators](https://www.hpmuseum.org/)



| HP Calculators | Accessories |

|--------------------|-----------------|

| HP-12C ||

| HP-12C Platinum ||

| HP-16C ||

| HP-17B ||

| HP-41CV ||

| HP-41CX ||

|| HP-41 Card Reader |

|| HP-41 Memory Modules |

|| HP-41 Program Modules |

| HP-45 ||

| HP-48GX ||

| HP-67 ||



### [SwissMicros - RPN Calculators](https://www.swissmicros.com/products? ) RPN Calculators 



[SwissMicros - Product Line](https://www.swissmicros.com/products? )



## [Beagles](Beagles/Beagles.md)



Paula and I have had and raised Beagles since 1979 when someone dropped a Beagle off in our

neighborhood, who we named Sport. We have put the obedience title, Companion Dog (CD) on Ranger and 

Runner. We got Writer and Rebecca from conformation breeder and they have earned Championships along

with the CD obedience titles.



We have bred and raised a few litters.



[Show Beagles Worldwide Magazine](https://www.showbeaglesworldwide.com/)



## Water-skiing 



I enjoy water-skiing. I learned on Lake Greenwood, South Carolina. I consider Lake Murray, 

South Carolina to be my "home lake" since I live nearby. My wife, Paula, and I would camp

at Hamilton Branch State Park on Clark Hill Lake, South Carolina and Georgia.



Bodies of Water That I Have Skiied:

- South Carolina Lakes 

   - Lake Greenwood

   - Lake Murray

   - Clark Hill Lake

- Midwestern Rivers

   - Cedar River (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)

   - Mississippi River (between the Quad Cities of Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa, and Rock Island and Moline, Illinois)



## [Craft Beer Breweries in South Carolina](FoodDrink/SouthCarolinaBeerBreweries.md)



-  [12 Mistakes You're Making When Visiting A Brewery](https://www.tastingtable.com/1435201/mistakes-avoid-visiting-brewery/ )



South Carolina has a number of craft beer breweries. The heading links to a list of the current active breweries. Below are my favorite brews:



1. River Rat Broad River Red Ale

2. River Rat Mourning Stout

4. Steelhands Coffee Lager 

5. Palmetto Brewing Expresso 

6. Palmetto Brewing GhostRider

7. Holy City Brewing Bowens Island Oyster Stout

8. Legal Remedy World Court Mocha Blonde Stout.

9. Steelhands Pecan Brown Ale



## Television Series Reboots and Spinoffs (Worth Watching)



I enjoy television 📺 series that have been rebooted or spun off from my favorite series. Below is a link to the series that have been rebooted or spun off that actually have a plot and worth watching.



[Television Series Reboots and Spinoffs](Media/RebootedTVShows.md)



## Tabasco Sauce Scoville Ratings 



[Tabasco Sauce Scoville Ratings](FoodDrink/TabascoScovilleRating.md)



## [USC — University of South Carolina](https://www.sc.edu)



| [USC — University of South Carolina](https://www.sc.edu) |

|---|

| [USC — College of Engineering and Computing](https://sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/engineering_and_computing/index.php) |

| [USC Alumni Association](https://uofscalumni.org/) |

| [USC Gamecock Sports](https://gamecocksonline.com/) |

| [WUSC-FM 90.5 FM](https://garnetgate.sa.sc.edu/organization/wuscfm) |

| [Carolina Band](https://sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/music/ensembles/usc_bands/athletic_bands/carolina_band/index.php)  |

| [University Band](https://sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/music/ensembles/usc_bands/concert_bands/university_band.php) |

| [Jazz Bands](https://sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/music/ensembles/jazz_ensembles/index.php) |



### [University of South Carolina Athletics](https://www.gamecocksonline.com/)



| Men's | Women’s |

|----|----|

| [Baseball](https://gamecocksonline.com/sports/baseball/ ) | [Softball](https://gamecocksonline.com/sports/softball/ ) |

| [Men’s Basketball](https://gamecocksonline.com/sports/mbball/ ) | [Women’s Basketball](https://gamecocksonline.com/sports/wbball/ ) |

| [Football](https://gamecocksonline.com/sports/football/ ) | [Women’s Cross Country Athletics](https://gamecocksonline.com/sports/wcross/ ) |

| [Men’s Golf](https://gamecocksonline.com/sports/mgolf/ ) | [Women’s Golf](https://gamecocksonline.com/sports/wgolf/ ) |

| [Men’s Soccer](https://gamecocksonline.com/sports/msoc/ ) | [Women’s Soccer](https://gamecocksonline.com/sports/wsoc/ ) |

| [Swimming and Diving](https://gamecocksonline.com/sports/swimming/ ) | [Swimming and Diving](https://gamecocksonline.com/sports/swimming/ ) |

| [Men’s Tennis](https://gamecocksonline.com/sports/mten/ ) | [Women’s Tennis](https://gamecocksonline.com/sports/wten/ ) |

| [Track and Field](https://gamecocksonline.com/sports/track/ ) | [Track and Field](https://gamecocksonline.com/sports/track/ )

| | [Beach Volleyball](https://gamecocksonline.com/sports/bvball/ ) |

| | [Equestrian](https://gamecocksonline.com/sports/equestrian/ ) |

| | [Women’s Volleyball](https://gamecocksonline.com/sports/wvball/ ) |



### Historical Events 



| Date | Historical Events |

|---|---|

| March 4, 1974 | [Remembering the Days: The Full Monty, Gamecock style - USC News & Events / University of South Carolina](https://sc.edu/uofsc/posts/2021/02/episode_22_remembering_the_days_the_full_monty_gamecock_style.php ) |



## Sky Above, Events, Weather



| International Space Station Sightings, Sun, Moon, Night Sky, Weather | Location |

|------|--------|

| [International Space Station Sightings](https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/sightings/view.cfm?country=United_States&region=South_Carolina&city=Columbia#) | Columbia, South Carolina, USA |

| [International Space Station Sightings](https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/sightings/view.cfm?country=United_States&region=South_Carolina&city=Lexington) | Lexington, South Carolina, USA |

| [Sun & Moon Today](https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/usa/columbia) | Columbia, South Carolina, USA |

| [Sunrise & Sunset](https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/usa/columbia) | Columbia, South Carolina, USA |

| [Moonrise & Moonset](https://www.timeanddate.com/moon/usa/columbia) | Columbia, South Carolina, USA |

| [Moon Phases](https://www.timeanddate.com/moon/phases/usa/columbia) | Columbia, South Carolina, USA |

| [Solstices & Equinoxes](https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/seasons.html?n=66) | Columbia, South Carolina, USA |

| [Eclipses](https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/usa/columbia) | Columbia, South Carolina, USA |

| [Night Sky](https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/night/usa/columbia) | Columbia, South Carolina, USA |

| [Meteor Showers](https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/meteor-shower/list.html) ||

| [NOAA / NWS Space Weather Prediction Center](https://www.spaceweather.gov/homepage ) |

| [Weather Today](https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/usa/columbia) | Columbia, South Carolina, USA |

| [Weather Hourly](https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/usa/columbia/hourly) | Columbia, South Carolina, USA |

| [14 Day Forecast](https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/usa/columbia/ext) | Columbia, South Carolina, USA |

| [Climate (Averages)](https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/usa/columbia/climate) | Columbia, South Carolina, USA |

| [Weather Data @ Crossroads Fire Station](http://www.rcwinds.com/?tab=data&loc=Crossroads%20Fire%20Station) | Chapin, South Carolina, USA |

|||

|[USGS Current Conditions for USGS 02168500 LAKE MURRAY NEAR COLUMBIA, SC](https://waterdata.usgs.gov/sc/nwis/uv?site_no=02168500&format=gif&period=31 )| Lake Murray, South Carolina |

|[USGS Current Conditions for USGS 02168501 LAKE MURRAY TAILRACE NEAR COLUMBIA, SC](https://waterdata.usgs.gov/sc/nwis/uv?site_no=02168501&format=gif&period=31 )| Lake Murray, South Carolina |

|[Saluda River Below LK Murray Dam NR Columbia, SC - USGS Water Data for the Nation](https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/02168504/#parameterCode=00065&period=P7D )| Saluda River Below Lake Murray Dam, South Carolina |






## [Microsoft](https://www.microsoft.com/)



| [Microsoft Visual Studio (Online)](https://vscode.dev/) |

|----------------------------------|

| [Microsoft Visual Studio (Online)](https://vscode.dev/) |

| [Visual Studio with GitHub Enterprise](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/subscriptions/visual-studio-github/) |

| [https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/subscriptions/access-github](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/subscriptions/access-github) |

| [Microsoft Azure](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/) |

| [Remote Development Even Better](https://code.visualstudio.com/blogs/2022/12/07/remote-even-better) |

| [C# Online Compiler](https://dotnetfiddle.net/Mobile?id=CsCons#code-editor) |






## Preferred Photography Vendors 



I have bought new and used equipment from [B&H](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/)[^62] and used equipment from [KEH](https://www.keh.com/)[^61], including a complete Canon New F-1 system. [KEH](https://www.keh.com/) also does camera repairs. I have rented lenses from [lensrentals.com](https://www.lensrentals.com/)[^63] for use at The Masters and for the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse. 



| [About KEH](https://www.keh.com/)[^61] |

|-----|

| We’re camera people - photographers and videographers, collectors and crafters, makers, and muses. |

| KEH has always envisioned a better way to put rare and quality secondhand cameras in the hands of fellow photographers. With your support, we’ve become the largest curated market for used (or, in our view, field-tested) photo and video equipment in the industry. |

| In an age that treats every camera like a disposable camera and every photo like an instant photo, we believe in making the best last. Gear that earns the KEH stamp of approval is gear that goes further and reaches higher. Graded by experts. Renewed with care. One-of-a-kind. Sustainable. Exchangeable. |

| A KEH camera is an instrument of possibility. In your hands, that secondhand camera instantly becomes something new:

An opportunity. A chance to create and share something extraordinary with the world. |

| A camera is what you make of it. We can’t wait to see what develops. |



| [About B&H Photo/Video](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/)[^62] |

|-----------------------|

| Get to know the people who know your gear best.

| B&H is not a big box store, or a faceless chain... or a personality-free zone. B&H is a group of people who are passionate about the things you're passionate about—from photography, film, music and audio to art and technology, creating and imagining. |

| We hire and extensively train our product specialists so that each one can speak from a place of confidence and expertise... which means when you need answers, we're ready with solutions, tailored to you. |

| We believe in making customers, not sales. That's why we've perfected the "art of the downsell": we'll always recommend the best options based on your specific needs, rather than the price tag. The customer comes first, second and third at B&H. |

| With nearly half a million items in stock, every day, our selection is legendary and that's made us a trusted resource for photographers, musicians and creative professionals around the world for decades. Choose from 11+ football fields' worth of leading-edge technology plus hard-to-find rarities. You might even find a bona fide electronics collectible in our Used Department! |

| The thing that makes B&H so amazing is its people. Every one of our product specialists has a passion—for photography, music, film or art—to match their love of all things tech.

| Located inside our NYC SuperStore, the Tech Corner is where you can visit one of our resident experts for a hands-on demonstration of gear you either just bought or equipment you already own. |



| [About Lensrentals.com](https://www.lensrentals.com)[^63] |

|-----------------------|

| Lensrentals is the largest online rental provider for photography, videography, and lighting equipment and accessories in the United States. Headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, with a satellite office in Nashville, Lensrentals ships gear to customers in all 50 states and also provides in-person pickups and returns to local customers. |

| Founded in 2006 by Roger Cicala as a way to expand his own gear collection and share his photographic knowledge, Lensrentals has grown from a one-man operation in a spare bedroom to a company with nearly 100 employees, dozens of experienced photo and video technicians, an in-house repair department, and the best customer service representatives in the industry. Roger continues to provide guidance and expertise to photographers of all experience levels, and is considered an industry authority on lens quality and testing, as shown by his work evaluating NASA satellite lenses. |

| Lensrentals serves hundreds of thousands of photographers and videographers annually, always while maintaining the values of our founder – share the best available equipment at its optimum quality, and educate and provide support to our customers to ensure they can achieve their goals regardless of experience level. |

| We carry camera bodies and lenses in every format from every major manufacturer, and all the audio, lighting and support accessories needed to cover any kind of shoot, from a family holiday card to a commercial advertising job. All equipment purchased is sold within two years so customers are assured our stock is always in like-new condition. |

| What makes Lensrentals different from other rental houses is our staff of trained photo and video professionals with a commitment to excellence, quality, and customer support! Every piece of gear is cleaned and inspected optically and physically to guarantee orders arrive on-time with compatible, working equipment. We’ve also developed additional programs such as Lenscap, Lenscap+, HD Subscription Shipping, and Keeper to offer customers added protection, value, and ease of process in their rental experience. For those looking to purchase rather than rent, Lensrentals’ sister site LensAuthority.com sells tested, guaranteed used equipment at an exceptional price. |



## Sports



### Golf



| [Masters Golf Tournament](https://www.masters.com/) |

|----|

| [Masters Golf Tournament Gear](https://www.mmogolf.com/) |

| [Masters Golf Caddie Jumpsuits](https://fairwayjockey.com/products/adult-custom-caddie-uniform-with-name-and-number) |



## [South Carolina Electric Cooperatives Outages Map](https://outages.ecsc.org/outages/maps)



|   |

|---|

| ![Ralph Hightower Repository’s Stats](https://github-readme-stats.vercel.app/api?username=RalphHightower&show_icons=true&title_color=73000a&text_color=73000a&border_color=73000a&icon_color=73000a&bg_color=ffffff&include_all_commits=false&show=reviews,discussions_started,discussions_answered,prs_merged,prs_merged_percentage)|

| ![GitHub Streak](https://streak-stats.vercel.app?user=RalphHightower&date_format=Y-m-d&border=73000a&stroke=73000a&ring=73000a&fire=73000a&currStreakNum=73000a&sideNums=73000a&currStreakLabel=73000a&sideLabels=73000a&dates=73000a) |

| ![RalphHightower's GitHub activity graph](https://github-readme-activity-graph.vercel.app/graph?username=RalphHightower&theme=minimal&color=73000a&title_color=73000a&line=73000a&point=73000a) |



|    |    |

|---|---|

| ![](http://github-profile-summary-cards.vercel.app/api/cards/repos-per-language?username=RalphHightower&theme=default) | ![](http://github-profile-summary-cards.vercel.app/api/cards/most-commit-language?username=RalphHightower&theme=default) |

| ![](http://github-profile-summary-cards.vercel.app/api/cards/stats?username=RalphHightower&theme=default) | ![](http://github-profile-summary-cards.vercel.app/api/cards/productive-time?username=RalphHightower&theme=default&utcOffset=-5) |



|    |

|---|

| ![](http://github-profile-summary-cards.vercel.app/api/cards/profile-details?username=RalphHightower&theme=default) |